Delegates at the Ad Hoc Intersessional Working Group (ISWG) on
Oceans and Seas and the Sustainable Development of Small Island
Developing States (SIDS) met in the afternoon to consider the
Co-Chairs draft elements for a draft CSD decision on oceans and
seas.

ELEMENTS FOR A DRAFT CSD DECISION ON OCEANS AND SEAS

GENERAL COMMENTS ON THE TEXT: The NGO CAUCUS ON OCEANS
recommended that the CBD Jakarta Mandate on marine biodiversity
be included in the list of achievements on oceans and seas since
1992. He welcomed the inclusion of sustainable fisheries as a
major priority for discussion and stressed the need for
effective fisheries management systems to ensure the indefinite
availability of fish resources. He noted the need to examine the
impact of subsidies on national fishing patterns and to consider
the reduction and progressive elimination of subsidies that
contribute to over-capacity and unsustainable fishing practices.
He asked the CSD to allow full participation of all
stakeholders, including NGOs, when building on existing
arrangements.

The EU said the text provided a good starting point but
identified issues that had not been sufficiently covered,
including, inter alia, the need for: a national integrated
approach; sustainable fisheries; international coordination and
cooperation; a scientific basis for ocean and coastal zone
management; and major group involvement. She said the CSD should
encourage governments to strengthen domestic action to develop
integrated approaches to oceans and coastal zone management. She
stressed that environmental issues must be an integral part of
sustainable fisheries management and highlighted the outcome of
the recent FAO Committee on Fisheries work on illegal,
unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. On the question of
international coordination and cooperation, she requested the
Secretary-General to bring additional views to CSD-7 on
improving the operation of existing UN structures.

AUSTRALIA, supported by NORWAY and CANADA, called for inclusion
of a reference to marine protected areas (MPAs) under the
section on living marine resources. Supported by NORWAY, he
recommended separate sections for marine science and climate
change. The G-77/CHINA proposed changing the documents title to
Possible Elements for a Draft CSD Decision and suggested that
the document state that the CSD could rather than should
undertake the actions proposed throughout the text. Responding,
CANADA said he hoped delegations would not go to CSD-7
pretending that the ISWG had not happened.

ICELAND, supported by JAPAN, NORWAY and CANADA, requested sub-
headings on action at national, regional and
international/global (US) levels. The RIO GROUP welcomed
references to El Niño. NEW ZEALAND called for text on
coordination and integration of governmental and inter-agency
approaches in the section identifying priority areas. Supported
by CANADA, he suggested that CSD-7 recommendations include
references to previous CSD decisions on these issues. The US
called for concrete and specific language for CSD
recommendations on sustainable fisheries, entry into force and
implementation of relevant agreements and further consultations
on institutional issues. The IMO asked for CSD-7 support for
international guidelines, recommendations or best practices on
land-based sources of marine pollution. The WMO requested a
reference to his organization.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS: The G-77/CHINA and the RIO GROUP
requested text noting that Agenda 21 remains the fundamental
programme of action. The EU proposed that action be taken based
on the precautionary and polluter pays principles and an
ecosystem approach. ICELAND preferred noting that oceans and
seas provide vital resources to be used sustainably to
eradicate poverty, ensure food security and support economic
prosperity and well-being.

MAJOR CHALLENGES AT THE NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
LEVELS: On international cooperation to ensure that all States
can benefit from the rational use of oceans and seas, the EU
proposed replacing rational with sustainable use. The G-
77/CHINA, supported by ICELAND, requested adding with full
respect for the sovereign rights of coastal States. The EU
proposed text encouraging the establishment of institutional
arrangements for implementing UNCLOS and Agenda 21 at national,
regional and international levels. The RIO GROUP and REPUBLIC OF
KOREA broadened conservation and management of fisheries to
marine living resources. The EU proposed broadening a
reference to pollution prevention from land-based activities to
include shipping and offshore activities. On national action,
ICELAND requested encouraging governments to establish and
implement sustainable fisheries management systems. CANADA
proposed adding a section on integrated management with text
calling on the CSD to encourage integrated and ecosystem-based
approaches to management and noting that fully functioning
natural ecosystems provide long-term benefits.

National Capacity-Building: The EU proposed adding the need to
assist coastal and island States to sustainably manage their
marine resources. NORWAY recommended noting the need to enhance
coordination and cooperation in developed countries.

Regional Capacity-Building: Regarding cooperation for regional
seas management, the G-77/CHINA stressed that cooperation among
regional seas programmes be in the framework of compliance with
existing legal regimes. NORWAY and others preferred not
limiting references to regional monitoring systems to those for
climatic variability.

International Agreements: The G-77/CHINA proposed that the CSD
invite relevant UN bodies in accordance with their respective
mandates to review lack of progress in implementation and
propose possible actions. The RIO GROUP called for review of
obstacles that hinder effective implementation. The EU specified
reviewing lack of progress in ratification of international
agreements. The US advocated a specific call for ratification
and entry into force of the Fish Stocks Agreement before the end
of 1999.

AREAS OF CONCERN: Living Marine Resources: On improving the
rational use and management of living marine resources and
calling on fisheries conservation and management organizations
to apply FAO and UN agreements, the G-77/CHINA proposed adding a
paragraph on over-fishing caused by highly industrialized
fleets, including a reference to the principle of common but
differentiated responsibilities. She proposed emphasizing better
consumer information on catches and financial returns to SIDS.
The EU suggested changing the sections title to Sustainable
Fisheries and proposed using sustainable instead of
rational when referring to use and management of living marine
resources. She proposed strengthening the CSDs work on IUU,
including fishing vessels flying flags of convenience. The US
stated that the CSD should urge action by national governments
and regional fishery management organizations to implement FAO
technical recommendations to minimize waste and discards and to
improve monitoring and enforcement. NEW ZEALAND proposed
including a reference to fish stocks being harvested beyond
sustainable levels.

The US proposed deleting a paragraph inviting regional
fisheries
conservation and management organizations to provide information
on progress and constraints in implementation of their
activities. The EU said these organizations should be referred
to as regional fisheries organizations and indicated that
schemes to improve consumer information on fish catch could be
added.

Regarding progress made by FAO in developing draft
international
guidelines and a plan of action for the management of fishing
capacity, the US said the CSD should urge countries to
implement the FAO Plans of Action for the Management of
Fishing Capacity, for the Conservation and Management of Sharks
and for Reducing the Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline
Fisheries. CANADA and NEW ZEALAND emphasized the need for by-
catch reductions.

The US, EU, G-77/CHINA, NORWAY and JAPAN proposed deleting a
reference to regional peer review systems for the improvement
of scientific knowledge of fish stocks. ICELAND underscored the
importance of collecting information about regional fisheries
and stocks of highly migratory species for scientific purposes.
CANADA stressed information analysis and the need to develop
programmes to prevent over-fishing.

The REPUBLIC OF KOREA suggested deleting a reference to
progress
by the FAO in the area of subsidies in relation to fisheries.
The RIO GROUP said the CSD could welcome a FAO decision to
undertake further work on subsidies. On schemes to improve
consumer information on practices involved in fish catch, the US
said references should be made to existing international
principles under the WTO and to possible FAO work on
sustainability indicators.

Land-based Activities: The G-77/CHINA, the RIO GROUP and NORWAY
supported text emphasizing the importance of regional
initiatives and UNEPs Regional Seas Programme. The RUSSIAN
FEDERATION and the RIO GROUP suggested that the CSD express
concern with insufficient progress rather than the lack of
progress. The US proposed text urging UNEP to complete creation
of the GPA coordinating office and, with NORWAY and NEW ZEALAND,
said the decision should emphasize GPA implementation.

Marine Science and Climate Change: On improving the
effectiveness of the Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects
of Marine Protection, ICELAND noted CSD-4s call to involve
governments and to possibly establish an intergovernmental
panel. CANADA proposed new text inviting governments and
relevant international organizations to address the impact of
physical and chemical changes on health, distribution and
productivity of living marine resources and on encouraging
governments to address the need for oceanic data to underpin
decision-making. The RIO GROUP proposed new text outlining CSD
steps to address El Niño.

Other Marine Pollution: The EU preferred that the export of
wastes for the purpose of dumping at sea be avoided rather
than better controlled. The RIO GROUP said environmental
aspects of oil and gas operations should be addressed at
national and sub-regional as well as regional levels,
particularly in the framework of the UNEP Regional Seas
Programme. On keeping air pollution from shipping under review,
NORWAY preferred a call for strengthened international
regulations and the EU a call for ratification of the agreement
on control of air pollution from shipping.

Coral Reefs and Protected Areas: CANADA proposed replacing text
inviting the CBD to accelerate the development of a global
representative system of MPAs with language encouraging the
application of MPAs and other appropriate tools to ensure
biodiversity conservation and marine ecosystem health. AUSTRALIA
supported this proposal and added text on encouraging States and
regional intergovernmental organizations to continue developing
a system of MPAs consistent with the CBD Jakarta Mandate. JAPAN
also supported a more general reference to MPAs. The US
preferred supporting MPAs as a management tool undertaken within
the context of UNCLOS and recommended emphasizing the particular
impact of land-based sources of marine pollution on reefs and
MPAs.

IN THE CORRIDORS

Concerted attempts are to be made to build a bridge between the
preparation of issues at the ISWG and negotiations at CSD-7.
Observers report that the Secretariat is planning to maintain
informal contacts with a number of delegations in the weeks
leading up to CSD-7 to focus work during the interim on the
documents prepared at the ISWG in an attempt to avoid starting
the April deliberations completely from scratch.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR TODAY

ISWG: The ISWG will meet at 10:00 am in Conference Room 4 to
complete its discussion on elements for a draft CSD decision on
oceans and seas, consider the Co-Chairs summary of discussion
on oceans and seas, and hear general comments on the draft Co-
Chairs proposals for the CSDs contribution to the Special
Session to review implementation of the Barbados Programme of
Action for the Sustainable Development of SIDS.

INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS: Informal consultations on the draft Co-
Chairs proposals for the CSDs contribution to the Special
Session will be held at 3:00 pm in Conference Room 6.

This issue of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin ï¿½ (enb@iisd.org) is
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